DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

These two meanings of the shofar signify a broader tension underlying the holiday of Rosh Hashanah. According to rabbinic tradition, God judges not only an individual on her own merit, but the community she belongs to as a whole. God judges not only Jewish communities, moreover, but the entire human family. The expectation that Jews keep their personal yearnings in mind alongside the needs of others as they listen to the shofar is no simple task. How can we wholeheartedly advocate for others while maintaining a sense of self?

Some Jewish traditions have addressed this question by prioritizing a spiritual cultivation of the self. According to this approach, true encounters with others cannot take place without first developing an understanding of one’s own identity, and a commitment to one’s own core values. The nineteenth-century Hasidic master Rabbi Menachem Mendel Morgenstern, also known as the Kotzker Rebbe, put it this way: “If I am me because I am me, and you are you because you are you, then I am me and you are you. But if I am me because you are you and you are you because I am me, then I am not me and you are not you.” To truly empathize with others, and to connect with others, we must first establish a rich and confident understanding of ourselves.

At JPS, we are committed to nurturing scholarship that embraces encounter from a vantage point of spiritual confidence and self-understanding. Rick Sopher and Abdulla Galadari’s forthcoming volume, Illuminating Scriptural Connections, beautifully illustrates this mission by examining the Torah’s fifty-four weekly portions through the lens of the Qur’an. The power of this book, which explores the differences between the Torah and Qur’an as well as their shared principles and visions, lies in the fact that its co-authors respect one another’s self-understanding. This respect forms the basis of the authors’ recognition that the other stands in unique relationship with God. 

Wishing you a year of health, sweetness, and meaningful connections,

Dr. Malka Z. Simkovich
Director and Editor-in-Chief
msimkovich@jps.org

NEW RELEASE!

Rick Sopher and Abdulla Galadari show that the Qur’an has something meaningful to add to each weekly portion. The Qur’an designates the Torah as a source of “guidance and light” and responds to the Torah’s central narratives, from creation and prophecy to law, covenant, and divine mercy. Many commentaries compare key biblical narratives, such as Abraham’s intended sacrifice, Joseph’s life story, and Moses’s leadership, revealing the Qur’an’s perspectives. Sometimes the Qur’an upholds the Torah’s understandings; at other times it accentuates its own motifs and messages. Additionally, sometimes the Qur’an appears to engage with some early rabbinic traditions, and sometimes later Jewish literature seems to engage with the Qur’an too.

Along the way, the authors confront texts viewed as sources of tension between the two faiths. They argue that the belief that the Qur’an is hostile to all Jews is rooted in textual misunderstandings. The Qur’an both esteems certain Jews and sharply criticizes others. Muhammad’s encounters with Jewish communities, especially in Madinah later in his life, shaped the Qur’an’s portrayal.

Engaging both scripture and history, Illuminating Scriptural Connections underscores the shared linguistic heritage of Hebrew and Arabic, and challenges assumptions of opposition to demonstrate instead a profound reciprocity of ideas. It opens new spaces for interfaith understanding and connection, showing that the spiritual DNA of Judaism and Islam are intertwined far more closely than centuries of misunderstanding have allowed us to see.

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If you are interested in ensuring continued access to the best of Jewish learning and scholarship, you can make a donation here or reach out to JPS Director and Editor-in-Chief Dr. Malka Z. Simkovich at msimkovich@jps.org. We are grateful for your partnership in the work of bringing the voices of Judaism, past and present, to the conversations at the heart of contemporary life.

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